A classified U.S. intelligence report, the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by U.S. intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and published Sunday by The New York Times, blamed the war for the surge in global terrorism, adding it helped fuel Islamic radicalism worldwide.
Meanwhile, a new wave of attacks including a car bomb in Baghdad, killed eight people and wounded several more on Sunday, a security source said.
Titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States," the National Intelligence Estimate challenges recent claims by President George W. Bush and other top administration officials who insist that the occupation troops achieved great successes in Iraq and that victory in Iraq will help combat global terror.
The intelligence estimate represents 16 different spy services inside Bush's administration, according to The Times which cited unnamed officials who have read the report, completed in April, and suggest that "Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse."
Iraq war, according to The Times report, has resulted in more, not less, terrorism.
The paper, which has spoken to officials who have either read the report, or been involved in drafting it, further noted it stated that al-Qaeda has now "mutated into a global franchise of semi-autonomous cells".
The recently released report is expected to further undermine President Bush's credibility as he still insists that despite all the uncovered scandals related to Iraq war and reasons for launching it, the world is now a safer place than before the war.
However, the paper stressed that the estimate avoids specific judgments about the likelihood that terrorists would launch a new attack on U.S. soil.
* Violence
Also Sunday, three civilian drivers died in attacks launched by rebels including a roadside bomb targeting an Iraqi army convoy near Abu Ghraib on outside Baghdad.
Sunday’s spate of violence came after attacks killed at least 31 people and wounded 38 others yesterday when a bomb blew up a kerosene tanker truck in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood.
In Baghdad's Karrada district, a civilian was killed and 14 people were wounded, including four policemen, when a car bomb targeting a police patrol exploded Sunday.
In Adhamiyah, a Sunni neighborhood, a car bomb targeting an army patrol killed two soldiers and wounded two others.
And in Tall Afar, a man blew up his car at an army observation post, killing two soldiers and wounding two others.
Recent years witnessed a noticeable surge in violence during Ramadan, Muslims’ holy month.
Meanwhile, a new wave of attacks including a car bomb in Baghdad, killed eight people and wounded several more on Sunday, a security source said.
Titled "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States," the National Intelligence Estimate challenges recent claims by President George W. Bush and other top administration officials who insist that the occupation troops achieved great successes in Iraq and that victory in Iraq will help combat global terror.
The intelligence estimate represents 16 different spy services inside Bush's administration, according to The Times which cited unnamed officials who have read the report, completed in April, and suggest that "Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse."
Iraq war, according to The Times report, has resulted in more, not less, terrorism.
The paper, which has spoken to officials who have either read the report, or been involved in drafting it, further noted it stated that al-Qaeda has now "mutated into a global franchise of semi-autonomous cells".
The recently released report is expected to further undermine President Bush's credibility as he still insists that despite all the uncovered scandals related to Iraq war and reasons for launching it, the world is now a safer place than before the war.
However, the paper stressed that the estimate avoids specific judgments about the likelihood that terrorists would launch a new attack on U.S. soil.
* Violence
Also Sunday, three civilian drivers died in attacks launched by rebels including a roadside bomb targeting an Iraqi army convoy near Abu Ghraib on outside Baghdad.
Sunday’s spate of violence came after attacks killed at least 31 people and wounded 38 others yesterday when a bomb blew up a kerosene tanker truck in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood.
In Baghdad's Karrada district, a civilian was killed and 14 people were wounded, including four policemen, when a car bomb targeting a police patrol exploded Sunday.
In Adhamiyah, a Sunni neighborhood, a car bomb targeting an army patrol killed two soldiers and wounded two others.
And in Tall Afar, a man blew up his car at an army observation post, killing two soldiers and wounding two others.
Recent years witnessed a noticeable surge in violence during Ramadan, Muslims’ holy month.